Means for launching a ship&#39;s boats.



I 0. E. ERICK SON. MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIP'S BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 1916- Patented July 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I/VI/ENTDR Zanz'el Z'. E'rziciison ATTORNEY;

Q J P. QK

D. E. ERICKSON.

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED Ame. 1916.

1 1 9 1 ,4: 1 O. 1 Q Patented July 18, 191.6.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: i f 1' INVENTOR I Daniel 212722150.

n TTOR/VEYJ MEAN-S FOR LAUNGHING A SI-IIIPS BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed April 8, 1916; Serial No. 89,849.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, DANIEL E. E IcKsoN,

a citizen of. the United States, residing at Vancouver, in the Provinceof British Columbia, Canada, have invented certaln new and usefulImprovements in Means for- Launching a Ships Boats, of which thefollowing is a specification.

. This invention relates to a device for lowering a ships boat fromtheupper or boat deck, the object being to obviateg the swinging of theboat from davits oi the upper deck under the rollingv of the ship whilethey are being lowered, which swinging frequently results in the injuryof the boat before it reaches the water.

This object is attained by providing boat davits which instead of beingpivotally mounted on the upper deck to swing outboard, are movable ontracks to and down the side of the ship to a position from which it isconsidered safe to allow the boat to swing, and from this position theboat may be lowered to the water level. The lowering tackle of the boatis so connected to the davit that the boat and its davits are loweredtogether until the davits are at the lower end of their tracks, when theboat lowers from the davits into the water.

The invention is fully described in the following specification,reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, inwhich:

' Figure 1 is an end elevation and part section showing the applicationof the device to a ship, the full lines showing the position of the boatwhen housed on the upper deck, and the dot-and-d'ash lines indi: catethe lowering of the boat from the davits when the same are at the lowerlimit of their movement, the section being taken through the near daviton the line a a in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, andFig. 3 is an enlarged. detail section showing the preferred constructionofthe track and the application of thedavit rollers thereto.

In these drawings 2 represents the rails a of each davit track which arepreferably constructed of two channel or angle ironsarranged parallel toone another at a suitable distance apart to permit the endwisemovementof the davits 3 between them with the rollers 4 and 5 of the davijsengaging the upper and under sides f thesections.

outer angle of the channel or angle iron One of these tracks issecured'to the ship adjacent each end of the lifeboat and extends froman inboard position on the upper or boat deck to the side of the shipand down the side to any desired position intermediate the deck and thewater line. The inboard portion of each track is preferably inclinedatsuch an angle to the deck as will permit thedavits with the boatsuspended from them to travel under the action of gravity down the trackwhen the ship has an extreme list;

The davits 3 are shaped with a base portion extending under the boat atits inboard position and on the innerside are carried around to clearthe cross section of the boat atthe location of the davit and suspendthe boat from its middle line. The outer end of the base is preferablyraised slightly, as at 16, to aflord a support for the keel of the boatwhen housed. Each davit is made up of tWo similar parts secured togetherat a distance apart to admit the lowering line sheaves betweenthem. 1

At each end of the base portion 'of the davit rollers 4 are mounted onpins secured in and projecting from each side plate of the davit toengage the outer side of each channel iron 2 of the track, and pitchedwithin these rollers are rollers 5 similarly mounted on pins to engagethe inner side of the same flange of the channel iron, so that thedavits are free to move endwise along 8 is passed'through the web ofboth track members by which the davit may be secured at its housingposition at the inner limit of its movement.- Mounted in the support 9of the inner en of each track 2 is a wire rope reel 10 preferablyindependently operable for each end of the boat by a crank handle andthe line 11 from this reel passes over a sheave 12 mounted at theinboard end of each trackunder a sheave 13 mounted in the davit ad-Jacent the inboard side over'a sheave 14: at the upper-bend and overanother 15- at the outer end of the davit from which latter sheave 15the line 11 passes for connection to the boat. I

When out of use the davits are drawn up to and secured by the, taperedcotters 8 at the inner limit of their movement on the tracks 2 and theboat is lowered onto and housed upon the base of the davits, suitablehousing protection being provided between the boat and the davit. Whenit is required to lower the boat it is lifted by the lines 11 from itshousing position and the securing cotters 8 are removed. Each end isthen simultaneously lowered by rotation of the reels 10 and the davits 3with the boat suspended between them move down the tracks 2'the mannerin which the lines 11 pass around the sheaves 13, 14 and-15 of the.

davits being such that the boat will be retained at the head of thedavits during such movement.

When the davits reachthe stops 7 at the lower end of the tracks, asindicated by the dot and dash lines, the davits being checked,

the line is free to run from the davits until the boat reaches the waterline.

' A sheave 17 is mounted at the bend of the of. the boat is materiallyreduced. Further when taking to the boats the passengers may be kept oilthe boat deck, leaving the boats crew free to attend to the equipmentand manning of the boats, and the,passengers may with less confusionobtain access to it at the deck beneath.

Having now particularly described myinvention, I hereby declare thatwhat I claim .as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent,is: y j T 1. Means for lowering aboat fromvthe deck of a ship, saidmeans \comp risingthe combination with a tracklsecured to the shipadjacent each end of the boat, said track ex- 1 tending from an inboardposition on the deck to and down the side of the ship to apositionintermediate the deck and the water line, a boat suspendingdavit-connected to.

and endwise movable on each track, and means for lowering the davits;down the track and the boat from the davits.

2. Means for lowering a boat from the deck of a ship, said meanscomprising the combination with a track secured to the ship adjacenteach end of the boat, said track extending at a suitable incline from aninboard position on the deck to'anddown the side of the ship to aposition intermediate the deck and the water line, a boat suspendingdavit connected to and endwise movable on each track, and means forlowering the davits down the track and the boat from the davits.

3. Means for lowering a boat from the deck of a ship, said meanscomprising in combination a track secured to the ship adjacent each endof the boat, said rack extending at a suitable incline from an inboardposition on the deck to and down the side of the ship to a'positionintermediate the deck and the water line, a boat suspend.- ing davitconnected to and endwise movable on each track, and a line passing froma drum or reel rotatably mounted at the inner end of each track, over asheave mounted-at the inner end of the track, and under and over sheavesmounted adjacent the base and at the upper end of each davit forconnection to the'boat.

4. Means for lowering a boat from the deck of a ship, said meanscomprising 1n combination a track secured to theship adjacent each endof the boat, ,said track, extending at a suitable incline from aninboard position on the deck to and down the side of the ship to aposition intermediate the deck and the waterline, a boat suspendingdavit mounted on each track, said davit having a base the outer end ofwhich projects under the end from which the boat is suspended and bothends of which are provided with rollers to bear on the outer and innersides of the track, and a line passing from a reel rotatably mountedunder each end of the track around-a sheave mounted in the inner end ofthe track and around sheaves mounted in the davit adjacent the innervend of the base and at the place of suspension of the boat.

5. Means for lowering a boat from the a deck of a ship, said meanscomprising the combination'with a track secured to the ship adjacenteach end of the boat, each track to a position intermediate of thedeck'and the water line, a davit endwise movable on each track, saiddavit having a base extending approximately under the place of boatsuspension and rollers mounted on each end of the base to engage theouter and inner side of each track flange, said davit having alsosheaves mounted adjacent the inner end of the base at the bend and atthe head or place of boat suspension, a reel rotatably mounted under theinner end of each track,

ture.

and a line passing from the reel around a sheave mounted on thein-nerend of the track 10 and around the sheaves of the davit to be rembvablyconnected to a boat suspended therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- DANIELE. ERICKSON.

